Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with type 2 diabetes among a middle- and old-age Chinese population

Although the association of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection with diabetes mellitus has been evaluated, findings are controversial. This study investigated the association in a Chinese population.

A cross-sectional study, including a total of 30 810 subjects from the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort study, was conducted. H. pylori status was measured via (14) C urea breath test. Association analysis was performed by logistic regression, with multivariable adjustment for sex, age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, family history of diabetes, physical activity and the use of antibiotics.

Among a middle-age and old-age Chinese population, individuals with H. pylori infection also had a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes (21.3% versus 20.2%, p = 0.026). H. pylori infection was associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes [odds ratio, 1.08 (95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.14); p = 0.008] after adjustment for other confounders. The association was significant among women, those who were above 65 years old, not overweight or obese, and those who did not smoke, did not consume alcohol and without family history of diabetes. However, there was no interaction between H. pylori infection and other traditional risk factors on type 2 diabetes risk. Subjects with H. pylori infection had a lower level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.0001) and higher levels of blood pressure (p < 0.001), total cholesterol, HbA1c and fasting blood glucose (p < 0.0001) than those who did not.

These findings suggested that H. pylori infection was associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes in a middle-age and old-age Chinese population. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.